Review: The Laden Table roving restaurant at Shepherds Purse

When I told my friends I was going to a ‘happening’ they were intrigued. When I mentioned that the event involved sitting outside in notoriously chilly Yorkshire at 7pm on an April evening they were surprised, and on the most part convinced I would freeze to death.

But I’ve always lived on the more whimsical side of life, as you might expect from someone pink-haired and glitter-obsessed.

I pictured strings of fairy lights, delicious food, lively chatter and watching the sun set over the green fields of North Yorkshire. I was even more excited when I learned the menu was called Cheese Glorious Cheese. A four-course meal of cheese? YES. In fact the only thing the evening needed (and lacked) to live up to my fairytale dreams was a unicorn, but I'll let that slide.

The evening started with a dairy tour from the owner of Shepherds Purse, Judy Bell - a formidable and deeply inspiring woman, who set up the company in the 1980s, taking it from a cottage industry to an award-winning cheese behemoth in Yorkshire. Suited and booted in hairnets and shoe covers (believe me, seeing your husband in a hairnet is a thing to behold!) we got a full tour of the dairy and a brilliant insight into the process. Judy was full of passion, and it’s clear that Shepherds Purse is a business driven by her willingness to experiment and focus on quality and taste over mass-production.

In fact, the only machine used is what Judy calls a ‘cheese torture machine’ which pricks the cheese to allow for blue veins to form. The tour was like a more savoury, grown-up version of Willy Wonka’s factory tour for cheese connoisseurs, and by the end I was almost salivating at the thought of wrapping my mouth around the artisan cheese.

By the time the tour had finished and we were led down to the dining area, my tummy was beginning to rumble with cheesy promise, so I was glad of the lively chatter from the crowd that had formed and the dulcet tones of folky-pop. I managed to snatch a chat with Nicola Dixon, the founder of The Laden Table who explained that the idea of the gatherings are ‘to bring people closer to the land, the food we eat, and to celebrate local artisans and farmers.' At a time when questions about food traceability and origin affect most major supermarkets, what could be better than not only supporting local business but also knowing the origin and process behind the food you eat?

Of course, that isn’t the only aim of The Laden Table, with just one long table seating around 40 diners it’s clearly about the social experience as well as the food. Almost as soon as I was seated I was deep in conversation with the people surrounding me, chatting work, animals and food. As bread was brought to the table there was much sociable passing of food and general chatter, as well as a real tingle of anticipation in the air.

Andrew Pern, a local chef from nearby Harome cooked up a storm in a gazebo just a few feet away from the table, serving up a starter of beetroot risotto with deep-friend Yorkshire Blue cheese and a wild garlic pesto – which I wish I had photographed in all its vivid glory, but I was too excited and olfactorily tempted to take the time.

The food was mouth-wateringly good and flavours well-balanced, which I always find is incredibly hard to do when working with a strong flavour like a blue cheese – but it’s clear Andrew Pern deserves every ounce of the praise and awards he has gathered.

The main course of hotchpotch of Harome-reared ‘Loose Birds’ chicken with hedgerow greens, Fine Fettle Cheese and Jack-by-the-hedge dumplings was exquisite and used the strong flavour of the cheese as a centrepiece. I was especially pleased to hear from Nicola that she is highly-involved during food sourcing and takes extra care to ensure the well-being of any meat animals in the process. Although I am not a vegetarian, animal welfare is hugely important to me, and I like my meat to be traceable and cruelty-free.

It’s clear when Nicola speaks about The Laden Table that it is her passion, and she strives to deliver high-quality food with exceptional, quirky venues. While there is a heavy focus on food, it’s also just about being there, in that moment. At times it felt like I had fallen into a TV advert – beautifully set-up table, twinkling with tea lights, raucous laughter bellowing out and Mumford & Sons playing in the background – the setting was just as glorious as the food.

By the time dessert arrived, rhubarb and ginger Olde York upside down cheesecake with brandy snap and clotted cream (absolutely delicious!), darkness was descending on Yorkshire, with a stiff chill in the air. But rather than dampening the al fresco meal, diners just suited up with hats, coats and big, cuddly blankets. As the tealights glittered, the tea and coffee frothed and steamed and I watched my breath in the air, the Shepherds Purse team brought out the final course of biscuits, chutney and their speciality cheeses. Diners were encouraged to dig in with massive chunks of cheese – which I did. Many times, before slipping off into the night.

The next Laden Table event is happening at Helmsley Walled Gardens on the 25th of May, you can get more information on the website, and Shepherds Purse cheese are available online . I REALLY recommend the Olde Yorke, it’s delicious!

Louise balances her many daydreams with the reality of being an animal scientist. So by day she’s lab-coated and covered in animal bits and by night she’s a knitter, obsessive reader, cat-botherer and midnight baker. She lives in Yorkshire with a husband, bunnies and cats. She loves PJ Harvey, pastel hair and drinks cola obsessively.